A typical advanced fee scam has reached me today on Skype. With the promise of a few million dollars the scammer tries to get some upfront payments for different faked reasons.This scam is well-known already. What makes this scam interesting is the fact that the picture and the name got taken from the real bank Agricultural Development Bank from Ghana. They have a description and pictures of their staff at their website: http://www.agricbank.com/about-us/management/. From there the scammer has taken the name and the picture for using it on Skype:
Edward Ian Armah-Mensah
Executive Head - Corporate Banking
He joined ADB from Barclays Bank Ghana Limited where he was Head of SME (Medium Unit). He had earlier worked at Stanbic Bank as an Account Relationship Manager and Credit and Marketing Manager at NDK Financial Services Limited. He holds an Executive Masters in Business Administration (Finance Option) and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
The invitation message on Skype from Edward Armah Mensah:
*** Edward Armah Mensah möchte Sie auf Skype hinzufügen
Enter a message to introduce yourself.Hello Rudolf,
How are you today? My name is Edward Armah Mensah , I am Executive Head Corporate Banking with Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) here in Accra, Ghana. I am writing this letter to you because of your surname. I have been in search of someone with your last name, so when I saw your name I was propelled to contact you for this opportunity and hope we can worktogether.Late Jim Rudolf, a citizen of your country, who had a fixed deposit with my bank here in Ghana in 2009 for 36 calendar months, valued at US{$10.900 000 00} the due date for this deposit contract was last November 2013. Jim Rudolf, was among the death victims in the march 11th 2011 Earthquake disaster in Japan, He was in Japan on a business trip when the Earthquake happened.
My bank management is not yet know about his death, I knew about it because he was my friend and I am his account officer. Jim did not mention any beneficiary when the account was opened, and i have tried without success to find any member of his family. Last week my Bank Management requested that i should give instructions on what to do about the funds, if to renew the contract.I know this will happen and that is why I have been looking for a means to handle the situation, because if my Bank Directors happens to know that "Jim is dead and do not have any beneficiary to the funds, they will take the funds for their personal use, so I don't want such to happen. That was why when I saw your last name I was happy and I am now seeking your co-operation to present you as beneficiary to the account, since you have the same last name with him and our bank head quarters will approve the transfer of the funds in your name because your surname is the only thing that qualifies you to stand as the beneficiary of Jim.
There is no risk involved because i am equally part of this process therefore you can be assured that this process will be a success for us. I don't want the bank to confiscate the money, meanwhile if you are interested please kindly write me through my private email address below.
Waiting to hear from you.
Regards,
Mr. Edward Armah Mensah
Email: edw-me-adb1967@outlook.com
Executive Head Corporate Banking ***
The Skype profile of Edward Armah Mensah:
